Thursday, January 22, 2009

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Yesternight I caught the telecast of this year’s Golden Globe awards. It was nice – though a trifle embarrassing – to see Mr. Kapur vehemently cheering Danny Boyle when he won for Slumdog Millionaire and the more gracious Mr. Shah Rukh Khan presenting the same film or the even more sociable Mr. Rehman accepting one. To be on such a platform along with global celebrities is indeed an honour. Yet suspicious minds (paranoid really) like mine always try to find an ulterior motive. So what Sony Pictures now has a firm foothold in India, so what Fox Searchlight is producing films with Indian content, so what if Universal and other such studios are expressing interest in India – it does not mean that they will devour whatever there is in good old Mumbai film industry. Corporatization is good from one point of view, may it be international or national, it allows new talent to spring because the so-called stars become either unavailable or too expensive. And kids can have a bit of a space to show that they also have it in them to be corporatized. But please tell me I am being paranoid. Please tell me that even our tiny little existences would not be so drastically conglomeratized. Like most other indigenous stuff every thing will not be patented. Please tell me (if you or anyone can) that our politicians would not sell our country that shamelessly to the highest bidder for greed of paper, luxury and flesh. If you are thinking Raj Thakray vis-à-vis Mumbai, I am thinking IQ, Mr. T isn’t thinking at all, and those who are manipulating him are thinking money.